1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of the transfer of electronic information and, more particularly, to displays of web pages on mobile devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the growth of wireless mobile devices, there is a concurrent growth with providing adaptability and improved ease of use and interactivity. The mobile wireless device may be any device capable of receiving a visual communication from a wireless or non-wireless device or network, a server or other communication network, including, but not limited to, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), a pager, a smart phone, or any other suitable device as recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art to receive visual communication.
Highly miniaturized computing devices, such as handheld computers and PDAs, have significant operational limitations as a consequence of their small size. In particular, the visual display is highly constrained: the small size greatly restricts the size of images and/or data displayed to the screen.
Accordingly, due to the size of screens, one of the major problems facing users of mobile devices is the ability to read what is displayed on the screen of the device while the user is in motion. A user that is in motion may not be able to read the display on the mobile device, while a user that is stationary would be able to read the display. The bulk of mobile screens that have been developed are suitable for stationary users, but difficult for users on the move to read. For example, it is easy to check one's flight schedule if one is sitting at an airport terminal. However, a traveler who is rushing from one gate to another is unlikely to use his personal digital assistant (PDA) to confirm the departure gate as he would likely have to stop to read the display, which would cost the traveler time he may not have.
There have been a few proposed solutions to this problem. One technique is the development and use of very simple screens that may be easily read by the user on the move, as well as by the stationary user. The disadvantage of this technique is that the stationary user may find these simple screens to be simple and dull and may not use it, in part, due to the limited amount of information provided.
Another proposed option is to provide a profile that a user may specify if they wish to see a simple screen, a medium screen or a complex screen. The appropriate screen would then be displayed. The disadvantage of this technique is that the user has to manually modify the profile when their situation changes, and many users will not or can not do this, especially a user suddenly on the move attempting to change their preference from a complex screen to a simpler one.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a system and method that is capable of automatically modifying a display provided to a mobile device based upon a determination that the user and/or device are moving and/or in motion. It would also be beneficial to provide a system and method that is capable of automatically modifying the complexity of a display provided to a mobile device based upon the degree of movement and/or motion by the user and/or device.